PowerMOVES: Miami Mayorial Candidate Higgins Meets powerful Media Owners

Tony C. Lesesne

The ZOOM call on Tuesday morning was a powerful statement in how serious one candidate for Mayor of the City of Miami is; taking bold steps forward to get her message out. Eileen Higgins leveraged a powerful platform on Tuesday morning, participating in a ZOOM CALL with Black Owned Media Alliance (BOMA). This was a strategic move, as BOMA's collective of outlets directly engages a vast and vital audience of over one-million across Florida, with a heavy concentration in South Florida.

BOMA is a non-partisan alliance of media owners united to provide information that adds to the lifestyle, business and quality of life access to Floridians in particular. The mission during campaign seasonis to introduce candidates to increase awareness of the fast approaching election. Make no mistake about it, the race to lead Miami is more than a political contest; it’s a fight for the city's future, and mayoral hopeful Eileen Higgins is making it clear who she intends to represent.

BOMA is Open for Business: An Alliance for All Candidates

It is crucial to note that BOMA is not endorsing any candidate at this time. The Alliance is committed to providing all mayoral contenders with an equitable platform, offering every campaign the chance to engage directly with its members. This means all candidates are welcome to follow up with press releases, updates, advertising placements, and a readiness to respond to questions, ensuring the community is fully informed.

Integrity, Access, and Economic Opportunity

There are long lists of concerns, challenges, opportunities and major fixes that the BOMA members were ready to discuss with Higgins and it didn't take long for ZOOM call to turn serious. After a few routine happy greetings, Higgins then shifted gears and got straight to the point: stressing that her core mission is to serve the entire population of Miami, not just segments. She wanted to clearly draw a sharp contrast with her opponents, stating their track records suggest a lack of comprehensive concern for the entire city.

Dexter Bridgeman

The BOMA owners listened intently having heard years of pledges and promises in sessions like this prior to each election season. Yet Higgins was sharp, crisp and energetic. She was ready to highlight her experience and left no doubt that the gloves were off. The conversation with BOMA leadership was focused and direct. Co-founding member Dexter Bridgman pressed Higgins on a key issue of representation, specifically asking how diverse and inclusive her staff would be if elected.

I jumped into the fray asking about the economic future, and where the opportunities are over the horizon. Higgins was clear: some solutions can be found in two main areas; attracting new business to create jobs, and streamlining government to make Miami a more livable city.

She called out city processes that are "unnecessarily difficult," creating roadblocks instead of partnership for small businesses. “Miami needs a Mayor who leads with integrity, accountability, and a clear plan to get things done,” Higgins declared. She added “Eileen is that leader.”

A mayor faces challenges and Opportunities

Miami, often called the "Magic City," faces significant ongoing challenges that threaten its future livability and equity. The most existential of these is the dual threat of climate change, manifest in accelerating sea-level rise, chronic flooding, and increasing extreme heat, which endangers both infrastructure and vulnerable communities. Compounding this environmental stress is a severe affordability crisis driven by a high cost of living and soaring housing costs that outpace wage growth, creating deep socio-economic divisions. Additionally, residents grapple with perennial issues like traffic congestion and the need for upgraded, resilient public infrastructure and enhanced public services, including greater access to mental and behavioral healthcare and effective support for small businesses and low-income populations. The need to address these issues is paramount to ensuring the city's growth is inclusive and sustainable for all residents.

As Miami's skyline dominates the horizon, so does challenges for many and opportunities for some.

Despite its hurdles, Miami is securing its place as a top-tier global city through its unique strengths and dynamic growth sectors. Its strategic geographic position as the primary "Gateway to the Americas" and a major hub for international trade, finance, and commerce provides an unparalleled advantage. This is amplified by its richly diverse, cosmopolitan population and a business-friendly environment, including a lack of state income tax, which continues to attract an influx of domestic and foreign talent, capital, and global firms, particularly in the booming finance and technology sectors.

To further propel the city's success, a strong mayor can implement a comprehensive vision focused on balancing growth with local needs. This includes accelerating investment in climate resilience projects and smart infrastructure, actively championing comprehensive affordable housing policies to curb displacement, fostering innovation and economic diversification, and strengthening transparent, data-driven governance and public services that prioritize the well-being and safety of all residents.

Miami City Hall is a national landmark and where the City Government operates

A proactive mayor's primary role is to act as a Chief Integrator and Accelerator to correct Miami's challenges and exploit its opportunities. To tackle the affordability crisis and infrastructure deficits, a mayor must streamline and overhaul bureaucratic processes to accelerate the development of affordable housing and secure major federal/state funding for climate-resilient infrastructure. Simultaneously, the mayor must leverage the city’s global brand by acting as its chief evangelist, aggressively recruiting high-wage anchor businesses—beyond just tech and finance—while ensuring that local workforce training and small business support programs are directly tied to these new economic opportunities. This twin focus on efficient governance and inclusive economic growth creates a "whole city" strategy that translates global appeal into local prosperity.

A Track Record of Delivering Results

Higgins says that she is is basing her campaign on a proven ability to deliver as a Miami-Dade County Commissioner. She said that her tenure is marked by tangible wins, not just political promises:

• Affordability & Workers' Rights: She fought to expand living wage requirements and secure paid sick leave for working families.

• Affordable Housing & Infrastructure: She spearheaded the MetroCenter project for housing and successfully secured hundreds of millions of dollars in state and federal funds for local infrastructure and transit.

Her promise as Mayor? To make City Hall a partner, "cutting red tape, expanding affordability, and delivering safer, more connected neighborhoods.”

Momentum in a Crowded Race

While the BOMA call was the highlight, Higgins also secured a powerful endorsement from Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, who praised her former colleague for turning "plans into real results."

The Miami mayoral race is a crowded one, with 13 candidates vying for the seat currently held by term-limited Francis Suarez. The General Election is scheduled for November 4th. With a platform focused on inclusivity and tangible results, Higgins is aiming for a victory built on broad-based support.